Display-rack



(No Model.)

J. W. ENNIS. DISPLAY RACK.

\ INVEN TOR 5% m. a

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. ENNIS, OF POOOMOKE CITY, MARYLAND.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 587,946, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed April 21, 1897.

T 0 all whont it 77166;] concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. ENNIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pocomoke City, in the county of W'orcester and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Display-Rack, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in display-racks for hats, bonuets, or similar articles; and the object of my improvements is to afford a convenient, neat, and inexpensive means of holding such articles securely in the desired position for display and by supporting them evenly at different points to prevent them from being forced out of shape.

The ordinary post or knob upon which the hat or other article is usually hung will in some cases upon exposure to the atmosphere or the rays of the sun push said article out of shape at the pointof contact and so spoil its symmetry.

It is the object of my invention to overcome these undesirable conditions, and I accomplish the said object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device to be mounted on a post or bracket, as may be desired, and showing the dotted outline of a hat resting thereon. Fig. 2 is a partial view, in part section, of another form of my device. Fig. 3 is a view of the under part of block A of Fig. 1, showing grooves. Fig. 4 is a view of one of the arms B. Fig. 5 is a view of the same in a difierent position. Fig. 6 is another form of rod-holding device with parts thereof broken away to show arrangement of rods.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1, A and D are two separate blocks having corresponding grooves O, as shown in Fig. 3, adapted to receive arms B and to holdthem firmly in any desired position upon said blocks A and D being drawn together with the set-screw F. The set screw F has a thumb-piece f or other suitable means for manual operation and a shoulder m to engage with the top of block A and is adapted to move loosely through block A and to engage with the screw-thread'in block D.

The arms B may be round or of any other Serial No. 633,109. (No model.)

' suitable shape and may have flattened outer extremities to give greater bearing-surface for the article to be supported. The upper surface of the outer extremity of each arm is in a plane lowerthan and approximately parallel with the plane of the upper surface of the main portion. The outer surface of the portion of the arm between the two portions occupying different but approximately parallel planes is approximately at right angles with the said other portions and affords a shoulder as an additional brace or support to the article to be carried by it. The arms may be of metal, wood, or other suitable material.

In case the supporting means for the arms consist of two blocks, as shown in Fig. 1, the portions of said arms that are seated within the grooves O of the blocks must be of a diameter greater than the diameter of the opening formed by two corresponding grooves when the blocks are together. Each arm may be pushed in or drawn outward before tightening screw F to give it the desired length, and is also adapted to be twisted or turned before tightening the said set-screw to raise or lower its outer extremity to a desired position.

The object of having the outer extremities of the arms adapted to be raised or lowered is to enable them to conform with the lower surface of the hat or other article to be supported. nary derby hat is lower at its front and rear ends than at its .sides, and so in order to have it evenly supported by all the arms those supporting the sides of the rim must be higher than those supporting the front and rear ends.

Instead of the arms being adapted all to meet in the center of the blocks, as shown ,in Fig. .3, one pair may be in the same set of grooves or in separate grooves and adapted to slip past each other for greater range of adjustment. In Fig. 2 another form of construction is shown, where a single block L is employed and a set screw K of large diameter is adapted to engage directly with the ends of the arms B, said arms B being freely movable in openings 0 until engaged by set-screw K or other suitable device.

I do not wish, however, to be limited to either of the exact forms above described.

For instance, the rim of the ordi- I may have the arms fit so tightly in the holes or openings in the supporting-piece that the mere friction will suffice to hold them in any desired position after manual adjustment. By having each pair of arms bearing identical or parallel axes passing through the supporting-piece in different planes from each other pair of arms, as shown in Fig. 6, I can get a long range of adjustment for each arm.

In Fig. 4 the arm Bis shown slightly turned, so as to elevate its outer extremity H, while in Fig. 5 the extremity H is shown at its lowest relative position. The frame or clip E is adapted to embrace the blocks A and D or the block shown in Fig. 2 to hold the same with the arms at any desired angle. The clip E is provided with screw G or any other suitable means for attaching the same to a supporting post or bracket. In Fig. 2 the screw 9 is another means of holding the block or blocks to a supporting post or bracket, or the block or blocks may be fastened to such supporting post or bracket in any other suitable manner, or may be an integral part of said post or other supporting device.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a display-rack the combination of outwardly-extending arms from a common center with means for supporting said arms, each arm having the upper surfaces of its extremities straight and in planes approximately parallel with each other and the upper surface of the outer extremity in a plane lower than the upper surface of the inner portion, the arms adjustable in their supporting means both with respect to their outward extension and the elevation of their outward extremities.

2. In a display-rack the combination of outwardly-extending arms from a common center with means for supporting said arms, each arm having the upper surfaces ofits extremities straight and in planes approximately parallel with each other and an intermediate outer surface approximately at right angles therewith and the upper surface of the outer extremity in a plane lower than the upper surface of the inner portion, the arms adjustable in their supporting means both with respect to their outward extension and the elevation of their outward extremities.

In a display-rack the combination of outwardly-extending arms with the clamping means for holding the same at any desired adjustment, each arm having the upper surfaces of its extremities straight and in planes approximately parallel with each other and an intermediate outer surface approximately at right angles therewith and the upper surface of the outer extremity in a plane lower than the upper surface of the inner portion and means for holding said clamping means to a suitable support, substantially as de-. scribed.

4. In a display-rack the combination of outwardly-extending arms with the clamping means for holding the arms at any desired adjustment, the arms having the upper surfaces of their outer extremities in planes lower than andapproximately parallel with the planes of the upper surfaces of their main portions and adapted to turn in the clamping device to elevate or lower their outer extremities and means for holding said clamping means to a suitable support, substantially as described.

5. .In a display-rack the combination of outwardly-'extendin g arms with the clamping means for holding the arms at any desired adjustment, the arms having the upper surfaces of their outer extremities in planes lower than and approximately parallel with the planes of the upper surfaces of their main portions, the said arms adapted to turn in the clamping device to elevate or lower their outward extremities, and adjustable means for holding said clamping means to a suitable support, substantially as described.

6. In a display-rack the combination of outwardlyextending arms with the two blocks with corresponding grooves upon their contiguous surfaces adapted to receive said arms, the set-screw as means for clamping the said two blocks together, the arms adjustable in said clamping means and having the upper surfacesof their outer extremities in planes lower than and approximately parallel with the planes of the upper surfaces of their main portions, substantially as described.

- JNO. W. ENNIS. Vitnesses:

JOHN H. BLADES, A. S. BowLAND.

IOO 

